Support for tenuous article



United States Patent O Ohio Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 533,956 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-71) My invention relates to supporting devices for elongated or tenuous articles such as, but not necessarily restricted to, a garden hose, a strand of conductor cable for illuminated decoration, etc.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive article which may be mass produced, as by molding methods, and used in a spaced series, attachedV to a fixed suppo-rt such as the ground or a building structure.

Another object is to provide an article of the type referred to Iwhi-ch is attactive in appearance as well as efiicient and generally satisfactory for the desired purpose.

Various other objects and advantages will no doubt suggest themselves to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification andv illustrating -a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. l is an elevational view, showing either the front or back (which may be identical in appearance) of a supporting device embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 .of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the same holder inserted in the Iground for lawn watering, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing -the holder in use as a supporter for an electrical illumination conductor.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, my invention contemplates a supporting device indicated' generally by the numeral which is most economically produced by molding same from some suitable inexpensive material, such as a synthetic thermoplastic resin. Such materials are available in a wide variety of chemical compositions, such as the phenol-formald'ahyde resins, the various synthetic rubber compounds, such as the polyurethanes, polyl vinyls, or other poly-esters, etc., and may be obtained according to any desired specification and physical properties. Preferably, the material employed by me will have a relatively high degree of frictional surface, and it is also desirable that it have some flexibility or resilience, if distorted with reference tothe axis defined by the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. Also, it is desirable that a spike 12, screw or other suitable support, preferably with an enlargement or head 15, be embedded intov the article 10` in the molding operation.

The outer contour of the molded arti-cle 10' is not of special importance except from an aesthetic standpoint, in that it be attractive in appearance. Article 10 is preferably symmetrical about the axis defined by center line 2-2, comprising a pair of generally similar arms 18, 18 joined together at one extremity thereof by means of a web portion within which the spike head 15 is molded.

The opposite extremities 22, 22 of arms 18, 18 are spaced apart, with opposed projections or knobs, 23, 23 formed thereon.

It will be seen that the arms 18, 18 define therebetween a generally cross-shaped space 25 with rounded corners and edges as indicated by numeral 27.

I preferably provide in each of the arms 18, 18 channels 28 molded therein on .opposite sides of said arms, -as seen best in FIGS. 1 and 3, said channels serving as stiffening means and also improving the ornamental appearance of article 10.

It will be seen that the molded article is not only symmetrical with reference to center line 2 2 but also that the opposite faces thereof as seen in IFIG. 1 are substantially identical, as indicated in FIG. 3, although such similarity is not required.

The supporting device described above may be employed in a variety of ways. Thus, FIG. 1 shows the device as employed for supporting a Igarden hose H. Such a hose, of course, may take a variety of shapes and contours, viz., round, rectangular, etc. FIG. 1 shows a particular type of garden hose which happens to be popular at the present time, having an oblong crosssectional contour and having spaced apertures for enlission of water along the corners of the hose as seen in FIG. 1, s-uch a hose being suitable either for lawn soaking or sprinkling of flowers and shrubs. It will |be seen that the hose tits snugly within the cross-shaped space defined between arms 18. If necessary, the arms may be sprung slightly away from each other in feeding the hose through a number of the supporting devices 10, which is permitted by reason of their slight resilience, and said devices are then secured t-o the groundV in spaced series by means of spike 12, las seen in FIG. 4.

The type o-f garden hose shown is known in the trade as a combined soaker and sprinkler and may be larranged either horizontally or vertically, according to the result desired by the user. As sho'wn in FIG. 4, the same hose H may be supported within the cross-shaped cavity 25 of supporting device 10 in a vertical direction for use as a spray.

FIG. 5 illustrates another application of my invention for supporting an electrical conduit used with Christmas lights or other electrical display purposes. It will be seen that a number of the supporting devices 10 are attached by means of their spikes 12 to any convenient structural portion of a building, such as a cornice of a porch, window frame, etc., and the electrical conduit C is fed therethrough and is securely retained between arms 18.

Obviously, supporting devices embodying my invention may be employed for a wide variety of other purposes. Inasmuch `as the article is preferably -molded of synthetic plastic or other insulating material, it is ideall-y suited for the support of electric conductors.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention lmay suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited tol the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be rnerely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

.1. A devioe adapted to be disposed in va spaced series for supporting an extended, tenuous article, comprising (a) a bifurcated mem-ber having arms joined at one extremity by a web portion .and spaced apart at their other free extremity dening a passage therebetween, for engaging such tenuous article, and

(b) an attaching member xed to and projecting from said web portion, said bifurcated member being generally U-shaped, having a cross-shaped passage therein to `seat such tenuous article.

2. A device as in claim l, wherein said member is formed of a mold'able plastic having appreciable resilience permitting said `arms to be spr'ung relative to said passage.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said arms have opposed protuberances adjacent their free extremities, servingl as a bar against escape of an article disposed in said passage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,757,962 8/1957 MacLeod 248-71 X 2,954,194 9/ 1960 Alfano 248-75 3,091,401 5/1963 Hmby 239-276 3,154,281 10/ 1964 Frank 24S-201 FOREIGN PATENTS 974,657 1 1/1964 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN A SPACED SERIES FOR SUPPORTING AN EXTENDED, TENUOUS ARTICLE, COMPRISING (A) A BIFURCATED MEMBER HAVING ARMS JOINED AT ONE EXTREMITY BY A WEB PORTION AND SPACED APART AT THEIR OTHER FREE EXTREMITY DEFINING A PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN, FOR ENGAGING SUCH TENUOUS ARTICLE, AND (B) AN ATTACHING MEMBER FIXED TO AND PROJECTING FROM SAID WEB PORTION, SAID BIFURCATED MEMBER BEING GENERALLY U-SHAPED, HAVING A CROSS-SHAPED PASSAGE THEREIN TO SEAT SUCH TENUOUS ARTICLE. 